For long has Social Responsibility Cell, XIMB has been working towards making valuable contribution the o the establishment of social equity- equity in terms of the opportunities available to live one’s life to the best of one’s abilities. This quest has found us taking a host of initiatives that have been conducted on an annual basis such as our flagship event- World Humanitarian Day where we have successfully brought together some of the best academic as well as industry minds to pour forth their thoughts on humanitarian aid and how its scope and impact can be extended to reach out to those in most need of it. Other events include World AIDS Day celebrations, International Disability Day celebrations, Para Athlos, Diwali celebrations with the underprivileged children and other initiatives directed at the spreading the contagion of smile!
It is with this very same objective of spreading the wings of social equity that we turned our sight inwards. Every day when we, the students, are caught up in our mad rush of classes, presentations, talks and summits, there is this silent force working in the background to make sure that there is food at our table at the right time. This silent force is that of our Mess Bhainas. While we, the students, have been climbing up the rungs of education at XIMB each day, our mess bhainas have helped at every step in holding that ladder in place. It was time for us, the students, to make a ladder of education for them and help them climb up it to become men empowered with education. In this task, SRC roped in the members of the learning community of XIMB which includes Dr. D.V. Ramana who has so far been a pillar of support for us in effectively putting in place the required framework to carry on the activity of imparting education to our mess bhainas.
From the inception of the course, the focus was on 3Rs- Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic which was formulated by Dr. Ramana himself. The focus of the 3Rs is to develop the reading capabilities of our mess bhainas in Oriya as well as in English. Such development is directed at enabling them in being able to read directions, newspapers, everyday literature involved in their work such as maintaining the mess records and likewise. Development of their writing capabilities is aimed at enabling them in carrying out everyday transactions such as banking, creating lists for purchase of items for the mess, writing letters, and maintaining mess records as discussed. Arithmetic, an everyday tool of necessity, is also being taught with the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division being explicitly focused on. Worksheets have been created for all the three Rs which act as tools while imparting education. Also, a chronological record is maintained for each of the three subjects being taught- Oriya, English and Arithmetic, so that on any given day a mentor can refer to the record of any of the subjects to evaluate as to what has been taught till date. Accordingly, the mentor comes to know as to what has been taught in the last session of a subject and thus progresses to do a quick revision of the same for the students which would serve to help them while subsequently progressing with new concepts to be taught on that day.
Out of the 50-odd bhainas involved in running our mess, an initial number of 20 has shown interest when the mess workers education initiative was launched. At present, there are 17 mess bhainas who diligently attend the classes conducted 6 days in a week for them. Such infectious is their enthusiasm that 4 members of the maintenance staff have shown a keen interest is resuming their educational pursuits and completing a minimum of class 10-level education. In the course of their education by our mentors, our mess bhainas were are two questions-
Q1 Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Q2 What would you like to become in the next 5 years?
Given below are the names of our students, some basic information about each of them along with their individual responses to each of the above questions :
· Amit Pradhan
Age: 26years.
Educational Qualification: 9th pass.
Permanent Address: Phulbani.
Identity Proof: Class 9 pass certificate.
Ans1: In the next 5 years I would like to remain in service at XIMB and would like you to help me in the same.
Ans2: In the next 5 years I would like to attain proper education and become a teacher.
· Sanjay K. Sahoo
Age: 30years.
Educational Qualification: 10th pass.
Permanent Address: Nimapatana, Khandapara, District: Nayagarh
Identity proof: Voter ID, Driving License and Class 10 pass certificate.
Ans1: In the next 5 years I would like to see myself spreading the joy of education into the lives of the underprivileged and in helping them gain employment preferably in the business which I intend to set up. I hope that this would make my mentors proud!
Ans2: In the next 5 years I would like to become as an accomplished businessman who would continue to gain education from the mentors of SRC.
· Sanjay Swain
Age: 23years.
Educational Qualification: 5th pass.
Permanent Address: Rathipur, Odisha.
Ans1: In the next 5 years I see myself continuing to be a part of XIMB, furthering my education and, above all, becoming a good citizen!
Ans2: In the next 5 years I would like to become a good cook.
· Mukunda (Tulu) Sahoo
Age: 19years.
Educational Qualification: 10th pass.
Permanent Address: Luhasingha
Identity poof: Class 10 pass certificate.
Ans1: In the next 5years I see myself becoming a police officer and serving my nation.
Ans2: In the next 5 years I would like to become a police officer.
· Subhrajit Swain
Ans1: In the next 5 years I see myself working in a small company.
Ans2: In the next 5 years I would like to become a person doing some good work.
· Ranjan Sahoo
Age: 18years.
Educational Qualification: 7th pass.
Permanent Address: Rathipur, Odisha.
Ans1: In the next 5 years I see myself continuing my service at XIMB.
Ans2: In the next 5 years I would like to become a better citizen of our nation.
· Ashok Sahoo
Age: 16years.
Educational Qualification: 7th pass.
Permanent Address: Rathipur, Odisha.
Ans1: In the next 5 years I see myself studying hard and gaining more knowledge.
Ans2: In the next 5 years I see myself becoming a police officer as well as a good cook.
· Bapi Nayak
Age: 17years.
Educational Qualification: Class 3 pass.
Permanent Address: Adaspur.
Ans1: In the next 5 years I see myself continuing my service at XIMB and training to become I good singer. I hope that SRC would help me in the same!
Ans2: In the next 5 years I see myself becoming a good singer.
· Manoj Pradhan
Age: 23years.
Educational Qualification: 6th pass.
Permanent Address: Rathipur.
Identity proof: Class 6 pass certificate.
Ans1: In the next 5 years I see myself continuing my service at XIMB.
Ans2: In the next 5 years I see myself becoming good cook for which I would be extremely thankful to the Almighty!
· Bijay Nayak
Age: 40years.
Educational Qualification: 10th pass.
Permanent Address: Village: Nualli, P.O: Bisvanathpur, via Golanthata, District: Ganjam.
Identity proof: Voter ID and Class 10 pass certificate.
Ans1: In the next 5 years see myself enhancing my knowledge as much as possible.
Ans2: I the next 5 years I want to become well-versed in everything related to computers!
· Abodh Panda
Age: 31years.
Educational Qualification: 9th pass.
Permanent Address: Nuagaon, P.O: Barabati, District: Nayagarh, PIN-757077.
Ans1: In the next 5years I see myself becoming a good manager.
Ans2: -same as above-
· Sridhar Behera
Ans1: In the next 5 years I see myself enhancing my knowledge through education.
Ans2: In the next 5 years I want to become a good cook.
· Debendra Pradhan
Age: 18years.
Educational Qualification: 10th pass.
Permanent Address: Luhasingha.
Ans1: I want to study & become a good human being.
Ans2: After 5 years, I want to start teaching the children of my village. In his words: “Let the whole world prosper even at the cost of my suffering”.
· S.K. Anis
Age: 23years. Educational Qualification: Class 3 pass.
Permanent Address: Siko.
Ans1: In the next 5years I see myself continuing my service at XIMB.
Ans2: In the next 5years I would like to become a chef at a 5-star hotel.
· S.K. Ayub
Age: 18years. Educational Qualification: 8th pass.
Permanent Address: Hasanpur, Pipili.
Ans1: In the next 5years I see myself attaining proper education through the help of SRC and doing something good by means of it.
Ans2: In the next 5years I see myself becoming a police officer and helping the needy. I would also like to help in making everyone study and prosper.
· Sk. Siraj
Ans1: In the next 5years I see myself enhancing my knowledge through education.
Ans2: In the next 5years I would like to own a shop.
· Dipak Nayak
Age: 25years.
Permanent Address: Dighi, Odisha.
Identity Proof: Voter ID.
Serving as torchbearers of our education drive are our mentors who are students from the PGDM-1 (BM, HRM & RM) batch.
All of these mentors have displayed praiseworthy passion and dedication in devoting their time and efforts in furthering the cause of education for our mess bhainas. There is much work left to be done and we look forward to carrying out the same with due diligence and sincerity with the hope of seeing our mess bhainas reap the rich harvest of education!
